Seiryoku no Naruto
by Abeo
Summary: Naruto's life turns topsy-turvey in the space of a day. He sees his apartment burn down, makes friends? with an ANBU, leaves Konoha, and plants rice. And that's before he meets the turtles.
1. Oiwake

Seiryoku no Naruto - Chapter 1

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Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto, Naruto's storyline, Naruto's characters, or anything affiliated with Naruto. I'm just using them without profit or gain to write a fictional story.

Claimer- I own this storyline, and any OCs(Original Characters) that I invent.

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"By the way, I tried to say I'd be there... Waiting for..."- Normal Speech

'I bless the hour that holds your fall... I will kill you all!'- Thoughts

"I'm reaching farther than I ever have before... Leaving all who broke your heart upon the shore!"- Summon Speech

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Uzumaki Naruto scurried between the shelves of endless books. Lately, ever since the Sandaime Hokage had recommended it to him on his seventh birthday, he had been visiting the library. He was pleasantly surprised to find that some of the books weren't as evil as he previously thought. One, in particular, was very enjoyable, telling a story about a revered samurai who found a legendary spear that would help him rescue a beautiful woman from an evil demon. Of course, he had skipped around quite a bit to stay interested, but he found that his attention span increased when he read, which allowed him to read more, which made his attention span increase more, and so on.

Today he was planning to make it to the big fight between the magical spear-wielding samurai, Makoto, and the demon, which was an enenra. Naruto had read earlier that enenra were demons made of smoke, that could only be seen by the pure of heart. Almost squirming in anticipation, he pulled the book off of its shelf, and sat down to read.

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_Later That Day..._

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Naruto slid the book back into its place on the shelf and solemnly left the library. The book hadn't really ended the way he had expected. The brave samurai had used his spear, which was sharp enough (the book said, at least) to instantly cut a dragonfly in half if one landed on it, and defeated the enenra. He had run through the smoke that it left behind, only to find that the woman he had intended to save had died in his earth-shattering attack. The man gave the woman an honorable burial, then committed suicide. Naruto had trouble seeing the logic in the man's actions though.

'Why would he give up so easily? He really loved her, but I think killing yourself just isn't the way to go. Pure heart my ass.' Naruto kicked a pebble down the road as he walked to his apartment.

'Nobody who really had a pure heart would've done that.' Naruto turned the corner in Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and saw that his apartment building was on fire.

"No way!" Naruto's eyes widened before he broke into a sprint, moving as fast as his legs could take him. He was stopped before he got there by a man that he recognized as one of his neighbors.

"What happened, mister guy?!" He asked frantically as he looked at his burning home.

"There was a fire, kid. We're not sure how it started yet, but I think everyone got out ok." As he looked around, he saw his landlord arguing angrily with a couple of other men. Suddenly, and rather unexpectedly, it seemed, he was hit over the head with something that felt like a large piece of wood.

"Hey kid! What are you people-" The man, Naruto's neighbor, was cut off suddenly. Naruto heard the man fall down nearby.

"So, brat, why did you set the building on fire? Huh?" A young voice asked from above him. Naruto could barely move his head, and he was sure he was bleeding.

"Trying to finish what you started, huh? Is that it, demon?" A scarred face appeared in front of Naruto as his head was pulled up by his hair.

"Well, I don't think we're going to let you kill anymore people, demon. A little brat like you can't be allowed to run around wreaking havoc." A deeper voice said, coming from the scarred man.

"But, I-" Naruto was cut off by a kick in the ribs. He began crying as he was pummeled from seemingly all directions.

"Hey, what are you people doing? Get off of him!" Another man, who Naruto thought sounded like his landlord, called out. The beating stopped as the older men conversed.

"So, you're going to be like that too, eh?" The young, cocky voice spoke again. Naruto weakly turned his head to the right. The man was his landlord, and he was standing in front of his wife in a protective stance.

"Are we going to have to beat you down like this guy?" Naruto wondered why the man asked so many questions.

"Daisuke..." Naruto's landlord clenched his teeth, seemingly noticing the downed man for the first time.

"Just leave him alone, you monsters!" His landlord's wife, Naruto wondered if that would make her his landlady, shouted at the men.

"You keep out of this, you-" The scarred man and another man that Naruto hadn't seen before took a few steps toward the pair.

"Go!" Naruto croaked out. "Hurry and go!" Naruto thought he saw concern on their faces as they turned to run, but he couldn't be sure. He idly wondered if they knew the man, Daisuke, very well. He didn't, and he knew they lived in the same building. He wondered if Daisuke had any children his age, or even a wife. Once he thought about it, he didn't have any idea.

A heavy boot pressed against his back, making him scream a hoarse cry of pain. He could feel the loose dirt and grainy rock from the road pressing in on his cheek as his face was pushed into the ground. The pressure lifted, but just so that a man could pick him up, and drop him onto a much harder surface. His face hit the concrete step in front of a bookstore that he had visited once. He never really bought books, preferring to read at the library. He had only been reading for a few months, but it seemed like he had absorbed enough stories to entertain him for a year.

He tasted blood on his lip, and knew that his nose was bleeding.

'I wish I had started in the Ninja Academy earlier... I would beat these guys easy if I were stronger.' He was picked up again, and subsequently dropped on his face. He screamed again, much to the delight of his tormentors.

"Think this kid can take much more?" One of them, a new voice, asked the others. The beating had been going on for ten minutes, but it seemed like ages to Naruto's young mind. He was beginning to give up hope when he heard another new voice.

"By the order of the Hokage, all of you are to be detained immediately. Comply peacefully, or I will use lethal force." The men who were participating in the beating looked around blindly until a member of the elite ANBU dropped onto the street from above.

"Saru-san, I don't think you understand." The young, cocky voice was speaking to the monkey-masked ANBU.

"I understand perfectly. The Hokage has ordered me to detain you; therefore, I will detain you. Step away from the child." The ANBU spoke harshly, and Naruto heard the frustrated growl of anger from the man who had spoken.

"Fine. But the brat deserved it." He and the other men shuffled away from Naruto to stand against the wall, but not before the young one kicked Naruto again, this time in the back of his head.

"Pitiful." The ANBU threw a kunai, pinning the man to the wall through his left shoulder.

"Shit! What's wrong with you, you bastard?!" The ANBU member slowly approached the man, and jammed a kunai savagely through his right shoulder.

"That's two strikes. I would advise you against using such harsh language in front of the boy." The young man just nodded with tears of pain rolling down his face.

Another ANBU member fell from the sky, and hoisted Naruto into her arms.

"Tora-san, take the boy to the hospital. He probably needs medical help after that... beating. I'll complete the mission." The female ANBU nodded, then sped off with Naruto, walking quickly. After she turned the nearest corner, Saru turned to the detainees.

"So what now, ANBU-san?" The scar-faced man asked politely. The ninja simply removed his ninjato from his back. As the detainees' eyes widened, he cut all of their throats in an instant.

"Targets detained." The ninja sheathed his ninjato as firelight danced on his mask.

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_The Next Day, 6:00 AM, At the Hospital_

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Naruto woke up in a hospital bed, and saw that all of his injuries were already gone. He lay still and thought, something that he never would have done before. He thought about the stories he had read, where everything ended happily. He thought of the story he had read where everything ended miserably. He thought about great tales of great journeys, where great people did great things. He thought of stories where people gave their all, and got everything, or nothing, in return. And he thought of Daisuke, and what he did to earn his own beating. And he saw that he had caused both Daisuke and his landlord and his landlady and all of the people living in his apartment building pain, for no reason other than his existence. And he wondered if his existence was worth the pain it caused other people. And then, he wondered if his existence was worth the pain it caused himself.

And he made up his mind in a fit of childish impulsiveness.

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_7:00 AM, At the Hokage Tower_

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"So, Hokage-sama, I eliminated the targets. Tora took the boy to the hospital, where he is currently recuperating. Clean-up went smoothly, and the mission was completed." The ANBU with the monkey mask was making his mission report to the Hokage.

The Sandaime sat behind his desk, and shifted a few papers.

"Very well, Momotaro-san. Thank you for reporting in on such short notice. You were one of the first ANBU to respond." The ANBU member bowed humbly.

"I must admit to being concerned about the boy, at times. I often wonder how safe he is alone in the village."

The Sandaime lit his pipe and began puffing. 'Momotaro doesn't appear to be so concerned. He is still hurting, I'm sure.' The Hokage dismissed him, and he left quickly.

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_7:30 AM, At the Home of Miura Isao and Mitsuko_

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Miura Mitsuko woke up late on this day. She had stayed up late also, consoling her husband, telling him that the insurance they had would pay for the fire. She checked the mail after she got dressed, and saw a letter from the boy, Uzumaki Naruto. Curious, she opened the letter that was addressed to her husband and herself and sat down at their kitchen table. Inside was a short letter, along with an expensive-looking butterfly necklace. Her husband Isao found her crying when he walked into the kitchen.

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_7:45 AM, Not Far From Konoha_

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Uzumaki Naruto walked down the middle of the dirt-paved road, map in hands, bag on his shoulder. As he looked on the map, he wondered about the choice he had made, about the wisdom of leaving his home. He had left gifts for his landlord and landlady, his neighbor Daisuke, and the ANBU whose name he didn't know. Writing the letters had been easy, or at least the though behind them was. Even at the age of seven, his spelling was atrocious. Picking out presents had been hard, but he decided to spend all of his money on what he found. For Daisuke, it meant he just got some bills in his envelope, but he couldn't think of anything for him anyways.

He looked on the map, and a village caught his eye. 'Oiwake... I think I'll go there.' Looking at the corner of the map, he saw that he had more than twenty miles to go.

"Come on..." Naruto sighed and began to trudge.

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_8:40 AM, ANBU Headquarters_

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"Hey Saru-san! Before you leave, I think there's a letter for you." A man behind a desk waved an envelope over his head as the man known as Momotaro turned around.

"What do you mean, you 'think'? Is it for me or isn't it?" The man behind the desk scratched the back of his head.

"Well, you should see for yourself, I guess." He said while holding his head down in embarrassment. The masked man walked to the desk and snatched the letter from his hands. Growling, he read the address line.

_To the Monkey ANBU Man_

_At the ANBU Place_

_Konohagakure_

The man was silent, then sighed.

"I guess it's mine then. Thanks." Momotaro turned towards the door and opened the letter. The first thing he pulled out was a shuriken with the message '_To Saru, From the Great Ninja Uzumaki Naruto_' engraved around the center ring in silver. He pushed open the swinging glass door, and pulled out a piece of paper. With widening eyes, he read the letter before dashing to the Hokage's office.

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_8:45 AM, Seven Miles Away from Konoha_

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Naruto finished repairing the yoke, making the wagon operational once again. He had met up with a trader who was on his way out from Konoha when the rope connecting his horse to his wagon snapped. After tying a knot in the rope, he travelled another few miles before it broke again. After repairing the rope a few times, the trader had given up and waited for help on the side of the road.

Naruto, having been the curious ninja-in-training that he was, had asked the man what was wrong, and then offered his help to the skeptical trader in return for a ride, since both parties were headed south. After finding a few sturdy vines in the surrounding forest, he put his survival training into practice, and replaced the broken rope. He assured the trader that the vines would hold up, at least until the trader got to his destination. Thus, Naruto scored a free ride.

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_9:00 AM, The Hokage Tower_

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"Momotaro-san, this isn't good. Please stay quiet about this information for the time being. I want you and your squad to search Konoha for Naruto. Be sure to check around with the people he knew, and at the places he frequented."

"Such as?" The Sandaime fiercely puffed on his pipe.

"Try Ichiraku Ramen. Maybe the Ninja Academy. Training fields, equipment stores, maybe the Hokage Monument. Just keep a sharp eye out for him."

"Understood, Hokage-sama." Momotaro blurred out of sight, out Sarutobi's window.

'Ninja these days... they just don't understand the value of using the door.' Sarutobi sighed, not looking forward to the inevitable council meeting.

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_10:30 AM, A Large Town Twenty-Three Miles Away from Konoha_

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Naruto had stopped with the trader in this town, which he hadn't bothered to learn the name of yet. After consulting with him, he determined that he needed to head out on the eastern road, while the trader, Bunpei, would be heading south. Bunpei thanked Naruto greatly for his help, and even paid him money for his help. Naruto thanked Bunpei for making his journey so much faster and more enjoyable. As Bunpei left the village, Naruto shopped for some food supplies. After buying a few things, and eating and drinking some others, he left on the four mile walk to Oiwake.

It was about now that the gravity of his situation set in. So far he had had an exciting time. Driven by the excitement of the journey and the memories of the night before, Naruto had acted foolishly and impulsively. And now that he had more time to think, he was wondering what he was going to do once he made it to his destination. Build a house? Live in the wild? He didn't even know what he was going to do to make it through the night with his simple bag of groceries and foodstuffs and his small, heavy bag on his shoulder.

'I don't even know how I'm going to make it through the night with just this simple bag of groceries and foodstuffs and this small, heavy bag on my shoulder.'

He wasn't sure what to expect from Oiwake.

'I don't know what to expect from Oiwake.'

He was thinking the words the narrator was saying.

'I'm thinking the words the narrator... Wait, what?' (Sorry, I got carried away here.)

Naruto was puzzled, and figured he needed a break from walking. He sat down with his stuff, and checked the map. He knew he was on the road to Oiwake, but he really had no way to measure his progress or find his location. He sighed, and rested his small head on a tree.

'I wonder if anyone will hire a little seven-year-old kid for anything...' He rested for five minutes, which seemed like an eternity for him, and began to make his way toward Oiwake.

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_11:00 AM, The Hokage Tower_

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"There's absolutely no sign Naruto yet?" Sarutobi asked Momotaro.

"My squad has been searching for two hours. We haven't caught wind of the boy, though we did hear from a middle-aged couple. They received a letter from Naruto much like mine." The Sandaime nodded his head. He wasn't very surprised to find that he also received a letter from Naruto, not long after he sent Momotaro's squad to look for him.

"Ichiraku Ramen's owner also received a letter. The old man, Teuchi, and his daughter Ayame knew the boy on a personal level." The Hokage nodded again at this. Naruto seemed to have left a letter for all of the people that he knew and liked.

"..." The Hokage puffed on his pipe for a time, then spoke. "Tell your team to stop looking for now. Tomorrow, I'm going to assign you and your squad an unranked, unofficial mission to find him outside of the village." The ANBU member nodded, bowed, and blurred out of the window again.

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_11:05 AM, Right Outside of Oiwake_

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Naruto was close to the village; he knew, cause he could see it. It was smaller than he had expected. There were rice paddies ('Those are cool!' Naruto thought.). Over the paddies, there was a small, huddling mass of homes, a medium-sized store, a smithy, and a statue. The statue was odd, but it looked pretty cool in Naruto's eyes.

Naruto made it his first order of business to check to see if the town had an inn. After observing the natural beauty of the scenery, he approached the town.

"Hello!" He waved to the first person he saw, a woman sweeping her porch with a straw broom. The woman was in her middle ages, and had black hair tied tightly in a bun. She was wearing simple cotton clothes while she swept, both the shirt and the pants were blue with white cuffs.

"Hello, kiddo." The woman kindly responded.

"Um, I was wondering, if, maybe, there was an inn nearby that I could stay in?" Naruto hadn't expected such a... normal greeting, so he was caught off guard.

The woman glanced around, and turned a critical eye on Naruto. "Where are your parents, kiddo?"

Naruto began to stutter. "Um, well, you see... I don't know?" He lamely said. The woman raised an eyebrow.

"Did you lose 'em?" She asked before taking another look around.

"Yes... or, no. I don't know? I never met my parents." Naruto bluntly stated.

"Oh... I'm sorry. You're an orphan then?" The woman held a look of sympathy, one that Naruto rarely received. He was again caught off guard by the kind, sad expression on the woman's face.

"Um, yeah... But, I was wondering if you knew where an inn was?" Naruto asked again, changing the subject.

"Here, I'll take you there myself." The woman set her broom against her house and stepped down next to Naruto. "How old are you, kiddo?"

Naruto began walking with her. "I'm seven and a half."

She looked at him. "Seven? I could have guessed ten at least!"

Naruto giggled a little at her flattery. "Miss, what's your name? I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

She grinned. "My name is Okada Yuriko. It's nice to meet you, Naruto-kun."

"You too, Miss Okada-chan." Naruto smiled a happy smile as they walked to the inn. It was right down the street, really, so it didn't take long to get there.

"You can call me Yuriko if you'd like, Naruto-kun."

"Ok then, Miss Yuriko-chan." Naruto, once again, smiled a happy smile.

Yuriko giggled a little bit at his endearment. She opened up the swinging door of the inn, and ushered Naruto inside.

"Good morning, Yuriko-san!" The young woman behind the front desk brightly said.

"Good morning to you too, Kaori! I was wondering if you had a room available for my young friend here." Kaori looked around puzzled, until Naruto waved his hand at her. Leaning over the high desk, she smiled and waved back at him.

"Of course we do, Yuriko-san. How long is he planning on staying?" Yuriko looked at Naruto with a raised eyebrow.

"Um, I don't know yet." He said, taking the hint. Both Yuriko and Kaori sweat-dropped.

"Well, I guess we could hook you up with a room. How much money do ya got?" Kaori asked.

Naruto pulled out his frog-shaped wallet, and opened it. After spending money on food, drink, and supplies, he had a grand total of... (And I'm equating yen to ryo at a 1:1 ratio here, and dollars to yen at a 100:1 ratio.)

"Um... just about 5,000 ryo." Kaori sighed, and tapped her finger on the desk.

"I guess I could hook you up for a while then, since you're friends with Yuriko-san. Your room will be at the end of the hall, on the left." Naruto bowed and said his thanks to her. He handed over 4000 ryo of the money in his wallet, and put it away.

"If you ever need any help with anything, Kaori-chan, just give Uzumaki Naruto a call, and I'll help you in any way possible!" Naruto unwittingly mimicked the 'Nice Guy' pose, and flashed a smile at Kaori, who giggled at his behavior.

"Well, Naruto, now that you're set up here, I'll leave you to look around the village. If you need help with anything else, you know where I live." Yuriko said bye to Naruto and Kaori, and left to continue her sweeping.

Naruto walked down the hallway, and slid open the paper door to his room. It was simple, with a bed, a cushion, a low-set table, a chair, a desk, and a window that looked out over the paddies. He deposited his bag of stuff, for lack of a better term, on the table, which he assumed was for eating meals on, and exited the inn with a quick goodbye to Kaori.

As Naruto walked, he reflected. It had only been a day, but so much had happened. He could barely even remember everything. But he was wondering if he could get books here. Maybe the store would have them... Reading was rapidly becoming his favorite hobby. The story of Makoto the samurai seemed to electrify him, awakening a craving for knowledge and stories that he hadn't experienced before. And though it was weird, and it was nothing the pre-seven-year-old Naruto would consider doing, he found himself being drawn in by the books, seduced by their contents. He thought about it, and wondered if there were any books on being a ninja. Which led him to wonder about his ninja training. He only had, at his best guess, three shuriken with him, and maybe a kunai, if he found one in his apartment's ruins. He couldn't really remember. Most of what he had was on him when he was out the night of the incident. Naruto, while thinking, nearly stumbled into a muddy ditch. Following the ditch with his eyes, he noticed that it flooded the expansive, multi-tiered rice paddies.

"Wow... so this is how they do it here." He said to himself absentmindedly.

"Yeah, and it's how they do it just about everywhere else too." A gruff voice sounded from behind him. He turned to see a tall, imposing, muscular man standing behind him with his arms crossed.

"Oh, uh, hello there!" Naruto nervously said. The man nodded at him.

"Good afternoon." Naruto waited expectantly, but the man continued to look over the muddy paddies.

Naruto turned back to them, and noticed they were empty.

"Hey, mister, why aren't there any plants in the water?" He asked with his back turned to him. He heard a course, barking laughter from the man.

"Because we haven't planted them yet, young one!" The man let loose another laugh.

"Well, when are you going to plant the rice?" The man uncrossed his arms and brought a hand up to his chin, stroking it as if in deep thought.

"Why would you want to know, stranger?" Naruto turned around and grinned sheepishly.

"Well, I was hoping to be able to maybe help some." The man laughed again, with his hands at his hips.

"You want to help us plant the rice? Do you know how to plant rice, stranger?" Naruto shook his head, and the man cracked a grin.

"Do you want to learn, young one?" Naruto grinned and nodded his head.

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_One Week Later, 5:00 AM, Naruto's Hotel Room_

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**Wake up, kit.**

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"Get out of bed, kiddo!" Yuriko shouted as she entered Naruto's room with a pan in hand, ready to beat it like a drum at any sign of resistance. Surprisingly, Naruto was already up and rubbing his eyes when she opened the door.

"Oh. Get ready, kiddo!" She quickly got over her surprise and changed her tactics. Naruto sighed as she left the room. Kaori had brought a small chest to keep his clothes in while he was staying here after he got a new set of clothing. Today he was going to wear his (in his opinion, "stylin'!") set of blue cotton clothes. They were loose on him, and he had to wear a tightly wrapped cloth belt to keep his pants up, but he liked them. His shirt could be adjusted to open more of his chest to the cooling wind, if he got really hot while working. The dark blue would absorb heat more readily than other colors too, so Naruto was prepared to do some sweating in the paddies.

He left the hotel (Kaori wasn't even awake yet, not having to help in the fields.) and made his way through the semi-dark to the irrigation ditch. Almost falling in again, he followed it to where most of the men in the village were gathered, along with some of the women, Yuriko included. He had spent most of the previous week being homesick and practicing the correct way of planting rice. As he stood in the back of the crowd, most of which had faces he wouldn't have recognized if they hit him in the face, Masayoshi began to speak. The man, ever since they met on the first day he came to Oiwake, had taught him countless things about the town and what happened in and around it, since he was the mayor and everything.

"Fellow townsmen, we're here today to begin planting the crops that make our village thrive. The end of May has always been the time of the year when the rice kami thrive in our waters. The fields are rich this year, and the rice will be good. Now, get to planting!" Masayoshi grinned as the workers 'got to planting' after the traditional speech that preceded the first day of planting.

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_Some Days Later..._

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Naruto thrived in Oiwake, working in the rice paddies to make money to stay in the hotel, while making extra money from odd jobs around the town. His first contact with the turtles came exactly twenty-seven days after he arrived in the town.

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So. That was the first chapter of my newest fanfiction. 5007 words without this A/N or the opening key thingy. So, yeah. I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with this one (but when am I, when I write something? Never, that's when.). Lots of OCs, I'm not sure which ones will actually be important to the story. I wrote random song lyrics for the speech key thingy. Also, I think I need to work on introductions. This story's introduction just seems... horrible, to me. This is my longest chapter to anything I've ever written ever, I think. And I started it today (Well, technically yesterday. But it's been less than 24 hours (I think.)). (Whatever, I started it on 6/27/08.) Also, I would like to mention that I spent a ridiculous amount of time ridiculously looking for ideas on Wikipedia (which is a pretty ridiculous site). So, yeah. Please review, and if you want, give me a nudge in the direction that you would like to see this story generally go in. Thanks for reading!


	2. Turtles!

Seiryoku no Naruto - Chapter 2

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Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto, Naruto's storyline, Naruto's characters, or anything affiliated with Naruto. I'm just using them without profit or gain to write a fictional story.

Claimer- I own this storyline, and any OCs(Original Characters) that I invent.

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"That's right, a new chapter already! Believe it!"- Normal Speech

'Man, updating so quickly is a pain. How troublesome...'- Thoughts

"This guy thinks he's the center of the universe each time he updates. What a jerk."- Summon Speech

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Naruto was checking the fields, making sure the mud was ideal for the rice. It felt nice enough between his toes, though he couldn't tell from that alone, unlike the experienced farmers. He examined the rows, and noted that there were no missing plants. Grinning to himself satisfactorily, he jammed a five foot long pole into the soft mud underneath the water. A pathetic-looking, Naruto-made scarecrow stared at him from the top of the pole. Scarecrows had to be set up to help guard the rice plants from birds that got too close. They couldn't do the job alone though, so there was usually a couple of men keeping watch over the paddy, checking for any sign of danger.

His shift was coming to an end, so he was preparing to take off and do some real heroic exploring. It had been almost four weeks since he came to the village, and three since they planted the rice. He was slowly meeting new people and learning about the village and the surrounding area. Of course, the people he knew best were Yuriko, Masayoshi, and Kaori. He looked up from the rice paddy to see the large, towering hill the overshadowed Oiwake, which was unusual since Hi no Kuni, the Fire Country, wasn't known for many hills.

Naruto made lines in the water using his foot while thinking about the cool things he could find on the hill. A magical weapon came to mind, even though all common sense told him that he wouldn't find one there. He thought about Makoto's Tonbogiri, and about how cool it would be if it were real and he had it.

He looked over all of the rice. About half of the village's rice was grown in tiered paddies, since the ground was slanted for a while. The rest of it was grown in a large field, directly next to the farthest tier from the village. After learning more about Oiwake's rice operations, he knew that the town didn't even need all of this rice. After the harvest, Oiwake would calculate the amount it needed, then send the rest of the rice to the nearby town, where it would be sold in the markets.

"Hey, Naruto. You're all done for today." Masayoshi said as he came down to Naruto's tier. He brought with him a few other workers, and they started replacing the men who were previously in the paddy.

"Thanks, Masa-san!" Naruto excitedly ran out of the field, making splashes while he avoided the plants. He ran back to his hotel room, shouted a hello to Kaori, changed into a different outfit (which was actually the same as his working outfit), shouted goodbye to Kaori, and ran out of the hotel. Kaori was left with a grin on her face after he left in his maelstrom of energy.

Naruto headed to the hill, which was actually a distance away from Oiwake, even though it looked closer from the village. Naruto estimated that he would have to walk for about a mile until he got to the base of the hill. He pulled his map out of the bag he was walking with. The map showed the area around Konoha, going as far as fifty miles away from it. As he glanced at the map, he found Oiwake, but the hill wasn't on it. Disappointed, he put the map back in his bag and pulled out a carrot. He absentmindedly munched on it while he walked, having missed breakfast while on his shift. Which he knew he shouldn't have done, but he liked the extra thirty minutes of sleep he got.

He finished the carrot before he made it to the hill. But he made it to the hill quickly, and began his ascent. He found that he could actually follow the river that fed the irrigation ditch up the hill, since he supposed its source was at the top. He struggled on some parts, but had no real trouble until he came to a large shelf of rock.

"How am I going to climb this?!" Naruto looked at the rock, which was at least eight feet tall, and looked like it wrapped all the way around the hill. Putting on a determined grimace, he set to work trying to make a rope out of vines. After spending ten minutes looking for vines and finding none, he gave up on that idea. He tried to climb a tree that was nearby the rock wall.

'Stupid... rock thing!' He thought as he reached the top of the tree. He was just a little bit higher than the wall, and almost within reaching distance. The tree was swaying a bit though, so he made up his mind quickly. After gearing himself, he leaped from the tree to the rock, and just made it. He pulled himself away from the edge, and stood up slowly. He made sure nothing had fallen out of his bag, and continued to the summit relatively unhindered.

As he walked in the flora that was abundant on the hill, he thought he heard voices. He slowed down a little bit, but the closer he got to the summit, the louder the voices became.

"But why wouldn't we be able to?" One of the voices said.

"Because, stupid, we have to keep our presence a secret. Sliding down the river isn't very secretive, is it?" Another voice said.

"You should know better than to argue, young ones." An older-sounding voice said. Naruto was getting close enough to hear the voices clearly, and distinguish between them.

"Besides," The old voice began, "It looks like we have been found out. And Kamesoto is right, Kamemyou." Naruto stopped his slow forwards creep to listen.

"What do you mean, Kameko-sama?" One of the voices asked.

"Young human, do not hide yourself any longer." Naruto gasped as he was found out. And what did the guy mean by 'human'? Bashfully, he continued forward until he came into a quite large clearing that contained a lake that contained turtles. He saw three of them sitting on rocks in the lake. One of them stood shakily up on its legs and walked straight into the water. It's dark green shell skimmed the surface as it paddled over to him, going in an unwavering line. It came out of the water and stood on the shore, barely ten feet in front of him.

"I'm surprised a human as young as you has such good hearing." Naruto stood still for a minute, staring at the talking turtle. It slowly walked towards him, moving at a slow gait until it was five feet away.

"Wh-wh-w-what?!" Naruto fell down on his butt and pointed up at the turtle. "You're a talking turtle! Oh my god, have I gone crazy?!" Naruto felt his face with his left hand as he stared at the turtle.

"Young human, it is not polite to point. Have people not taught you that?" The turtle spoke in an old, slow voice. Naruto put his hand down and began apologizing.

"I'm sorry, sorry! Please forgive my rudeness!" Naruto bowed his head and put his palms together.

"Do not worry, young human. It is understandable to have a reaction such as yours upon meeting a summoned creature." Naruto, getting over his shock, began asking questions.

"What do you mean by summoned creature, turtle-san?" Naruto saw the other turtles rapidly swim over, completing the swim in a fraction of the time the older turtle had.

"A summoned creature is a creature that has been summoned by a shinobi. We are summoned creatures who simply wander the world, since nobody has summoned us."

"Do you ever get bored when no ninja summons you?" Naruto was surprised to hear a laugh come from the turtle's throat.

"Such interesting questions you ask. We have two summoners; one is young and inexperienced. He is still getting used to summoning, and has only managed to get young turtles that aren't of use in battle." The old turtle explained.

"Who is he?"

"You will most likely never meet him, but his name is Kueng Shao. Our other summoner is a ninja in this country. His name is Maito Gai, and he can summon most of us, even though he rarely does so."

"I see... How do you summon a turtle?" The old turtle laughed again.

"You sign a contract with us that allows you to summon us. And then you use the **kuchiyose no jutsu**, or the summoning technique, with a certain amount of chakra to summon one of us." Naruto leaned forward with an eager look on his face.

"Can I sign the contract? Please?" Naruto asked the turtle.

"I see no problem with letting you sign it. You will have to learn how to summon though. And to summon you will have to learn the hand seals, how to control chakra, and then you have to put them together to perform the jutsu." The turtle finished his semi-lengthy explanation.

"So, can you teach me how to do all that stuff?" Naruto hopefully asked.

"Us?" The summon laughed. "Why would we teach you if you cannot learn for yourself? You are welcome to sign the contract, but we will not teach you how to use it." Naruto put his head down and sniffled. As the turtles looked on, the seven-and-a-half-year-old began sobbing.

"Hey kid, are you ok?" One of the young turtles, whose shell was blue, asked. This, however just made Naruto cry harder.

"Way to go, Kamesoto! Now it's even worse!" A turtle with a lighter shade of green, speckled with black, shell exclaimed.

"Shut up, Kamemyou! At least I'm trying!" Kamesoto shouted back. Naruto bawled loudly as they argued.

"Young human, you are too old to cry for a reason such as this. The time for unnecessary tears has passed." The turtle moved closer to Naruto and extended its neck so that its head was in front of Naruto's. "Be calm and do not worry. You will learn how to use chakra easily, and you will soon be able to summon us. We just cannot help you along your way." Naruto calmed down a little, though he still occasionally sobbed out loud.

"Thanks, turtle-san." Naruto rubbed his eyes free of tears and stood up, and was at eye level with the pretty big turtle.

"Tell me, young one, do you have something to write with?" Naruto nodded, so the turtle continued. "Write down these words. Rabbit, dragon, ox, rabbit, monkey. Those are the seals for the technique. Find someone to show you how to use them, and practice the movements until you can do them in your sleep." Naruto nodded enthusiastically, suddenly happy with the new feeling of progress.

"I'll have this jutsu down in no time! Just watch me!" Naruto grinned and gave the turtles a thumbs-up.

"Well, you'd better get going soon then. It's getting late." Naruto looked at the sky to see the sun close to setting.

"How did I not even notice that?!" Naruto turned and began to descend the hillside at a running pace. "Bye turtles!"

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_6:00 AM, The Next Day_

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Naruto stood in the rice paddy, having been assigned an early shift this day. He thought back to his days in Konoha, about the early lessons in chakra manipulation. All he could remember was that you started at your stomach and worked outward... but after that, he didn't know anything. And he barely remembered the lesson he knew, anyways.

He was unsure about revealing his origins to his new friends. Maybe there was something, just one little thing that he didn't know that would make everyone hate him like most people did back home. The rational part of his brain, which was much younger than the rest of it, and therefore had less say in the matter, said that this was foolish thinking and he should just speak up about where he came from and the help he needed.

This thought was quickly silenced however, and he decided that he would have to leave Oiwake and go someplace where he could learn about these things. While racking his mind over the matter, he thought about the major ninja villages that he had heard about.

'Would they accept a kid like me? Why would they even think about teaching me anything like hand seals or chakra manipulation?' Naruto struck the thought from his mind. He would have to find an unofficial source to learn from. Aside from the major ninja villages, he knew that there were small villages that didn't have official kages, but still had ninja. He considered going to them, but only if he couldn't find another place where he could learn. Even though his destination was uncertain, he was set to leave sometime after the harvest. The town would need all the help they could get, and he didn't want to let them down. Having given it enough thought for the day, he decided that he would focus on work. So he did.

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That's right, a follow up chapter. How's that for you? I have also typed this chapter in less than 24 hours, which is astounding for me. Of course, updates will begin trickling out slowly sometime (I'm expecting it in just a few chapters.), so don't be excited/think this will update this quickly all the time. Wow, I sound pretty bleak/disheartened/something. Kind of weird. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! The next ones might be as long as the first, maybe! I just figured this was a good place to cut it off. Thanks for reading!


	3. Tentekomai

Seiryoku no Naruto - Chapter 3

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Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto, Naruto's storyline, Naruto's characters, or anything affiliated with Naruto. I'm just using them without profit or gain to write a fictional story.

Claimer- I own this storyline, and any OCs(Original Characters) that I invent.

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"Chapter number 3! Oh yeah!"- Normal Speech

'New twists and turns! My mind is just bursting with ideas.'- Thoughts

"Turtles rock, I think. Gai never even uses them, so I'll make Naruto make up for that."- Summon Speech

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_October 6, Right Outside of Oiwake_

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"So where are we going, Masa-san?" Naruto asked from his position on the front of a wagon.

"We're heading for a town to the west, Tentekomai. Once we get there, we're going to trade all of our unneeded rice for either goods or money. And it will be there that you'll part ways with us." Masayoshi was sitting at the reins of the wagon, guiding the oxen that pulled it. Four wagons made up the caravan, and Naruto and Masayoshi sat in the front of the leading one.

"No need to sound so sad, Masa-san. I'll still come back to visit, it's not like we'll never see each other again. I might even come back to help with the rice next year!" Naruto exclaimed exuberantly.

Masayoshi chuckled. "That would be great, kid. Maybe by that time you'll have learned some of those 'awesome ninja moves' that you keep going on about."

Naruto just grinned and leaned back, letting his back rest on the rough wood of the wagon with his head propped against a scratchy bag of rice. He remembered when he told Yuriko that he was a ninja-in-training from Konoha. She had taken the news like a joke at first, but quickly believed it when she realized that he wasn't kidding. She had reacted kindly, and asked if anyone else knew. He told her no, but agreed that she could tell anyone she wanted to. So, she promptly told most of the town. And they didn't mind much. So, Naruto was extremely happy. The trip passed by quickly as he reminisced.

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_Noon, Tentekomai_

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"Hey, it's this place!" Naruto began to recognize the city he and Bunpei the trader had parted ways in.

"You've been here, Naruto?" Masayoshi asked.

"Yeah!" Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "I was here just before I went to Oiwake!"

Masayoshi chuckled. "Well, it's good that you know the city already. Now, help me unload all of these bags." Masayoshi got off the wagon and tied the oxen to a post. Some of the other villages had gone ahead of them a way back to set up a stall here at the market in Tentekomai, and they were aiming to pile the heavy bags behind the counter.

"So, I just pick them up and put them down here?" Naruto asked. He began when Masayoshi nodded. By the time they had unloaded all of the bags from their cart, Naruto understood why Masayoshi was so muscular. Tough work.

"So, Naruto, what are you planning to do now that you're leaving Oiwake?" Masayoshi asked him.

"Uh... I guess I'll stay here in Ten... uh, here for a little bit, and then I'll pick out a cool place on the map." Masayoshi sighed.

"Kid, I envy you. I remember a time where all I wanted to do was get out and explore. I never had the chance though. My family needed me to work, and, being an only child, I needed to stay in Oiwake to continue my clan."

"Why would you need to stay there, Masa-san?" Naruto was just a little bit confused.

"Tradition, kid. My family has lived there for many generations, and I don't want to be the one to leave."

"But why not?"

Masayoshi frowned, jokingly. "What is this, Ask Masayoshi Twenty Questions Day?"

Naruto giggled and nodded. "When I'm Hokage, it will be." Masayoshi chuckled at him, putting smiles on both their faces.

"I'm going to miss you, Naruto. You've been a great help in the fields, and a great friend."

"You're making me cry, jikei..." True to his word, Naruto had streams of tears running down his face.

"'It's not like we'll never see each other again,' shoutei." Masayoshi had a sad smile on his face. Naruto abruptly stopped crying.

"Hey! You jerk! Those are my words!" Naruto crossed his arms and stuck his tongue out at Masayoshi, who laughed again.

"I'll look forward to hearing from you, Naruto. Take care! Travel safely! Be good!"

"Of course, of course. Bye Masa-kun!" Naruto turned and ran down a side alley wearing a huge grin as Masayoshi registered what he said.

"I told you not to call me that! San or nothing!" He shouted after the seven-year-old. "Little trouble-maker." He said, trying to hide a smile.

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_Two Days Later, A Noodle Restaurant, Tentekomai_

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Shibucha woke with a start. He looked wildly around the room for any signs of intruders. Seeing none, he sat up with a sigh. He moved his hand and hit the snooze button on his alarm clock. He stood up, yawned exaggeratedly, and pulled on a loose white shirt with long sleeves. Shibucha turned off his alarm clock. The stupid thing had been waking him up early every day. He swore he set it for ten o'clock today, but it went off two hours early.

"Old man!" He shouted, his young voice carrying past the door. He waited, tapping his foot, while the man shuffled to his door.

"Yes, Shibucha?" The old man asked from the other side, the door only slightly muffling his voice.

"Do you know what's wrong with my alarm clock?" He asked while still tapping his foot on the wooden floor of his temporary room. He was leaving that day, he figured, so it wasn't his anymore.

"Yes. It was set too late, so I changed the time last night." Shibucha crossed his arms as the man cackled on the other side of the door.

"That isn't funny, old man! I wanted to sleep in today!"

"Well, I figured that if you're going somewhere, you might as well leave earlier than that."

"Whatever, old man. I'll be downstairs in a minute." Shibucha worked part time at Tsumaran, a pretty fancy noodle shop, and lived on the second floor with the old man who owned the store. Shibucha grew up in Tentekomai, and only recently, at eight years old, began living under a real roof. He had been saving his wages for a year, and was now preparing to leave the city.

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_Three Years Ago, Enshoki Street, Tentekomai_

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"What are you idiots doing here?" A tough looking twelve year old boy asked. He stood in front of a collection of children ranging from five to thirteen, all wearing ratty clothes. Some of them held metal rods, and most of them wore sneers on their faces. Facing the group of children was a second group of children. The groups were strikingly similar; however, while one group had red cloth tied around their right arm, the other had white hachimaki (headbands) on their heads.

"We should be asking you the same question, Yacho scum!" The older thirteen-year-old exclaimed. His group was carrying mainly round wooden poles, even though one boy had a bokken (wooden sword). Street fights between orphans in Tentekomai were major problems. There were many gangs, and many injuries were inflicted between them. Few serious injuries resulted from young, 'wanna-be' gang fights, but the Yacho and Yaen 'gangs' were notorious for their ferocity towards each other.

"This is our street, Yacho scum!" One of the boys behind the leader of the Yaen shouted. A chorus of shouts from behind the boy supported him.

"Not anymore, Yaen-tare! We're claiming this street!" The leader of the Yacho held a metal bar in both his hands.

"I'm calling you out, Yacho scum! Your best brawler against ours! The winner's gang gets this street!"

"Fine! Where's the kid I'm gonna beat the shit out of?" The leader of the Yacho stepped forward and tapped his weapon into his open hand.

"This kid here." The leader stepped out of the way to reveal the boy with the bokken. The boy had black hair that was long in the back and on the sides. He had it in a small ponytail in the back, no longer than an inch. His eyes were an odd color of green, speckled with gray. He had freckles splayed across his face, and was wearing a blue vest with black pants. He looked defiantly at the other gang.

"This kid can't be five years old yet! This street is ours!" The Yacho leader stepped forward and gestured rudely at the younger boy.

"You're up, Shibachu. You kick his ass for us!" The young boy nodded and stepped forward, bokken at the ready.

The Yacho leader charged wildly, using his velocity and mass to add to the blow that he thought would end the fight.

Shibachu easily dodged the blow, and hit the boy's throat with a two handed swing before he could think of blocking. The gang leader flew backwards and landed in a heap, which he didn't move from. A few members of his gang ran to his side, and ,after checking, determined that he was in no shape to fight. For a time, the whole street was quiet. Then, with no warning, the Yaen gang broke into a cheer. They jeered as the Yacho gang left the street in shame, carrying their unconscious leader, and cheered the boy that had made victory that day possible.

Though the event didn't affect the world, the country, or even the city in the slightest, that day was the beginning of a legend.

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_Present Day, Tentekomai_

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Shibachu had gone on from that day to dominate the street life of the city. Within a year, no, within half a year, Shibachu had beaten all of the competitors in the city, including far older kids. He had only even been hit once, when fighting the leader of the Hebi gang. His skills grew to legends within the city, and the size of the Yaen gang increased dramatically. He, of course, wasn't the leader of the gang, but he was for sure his second in command.

Eventually, Shibachu had gotten tired of gang life. He wanted to travel the world and fight strong people. So, he began saving money from doing odd jobs. He had grown his hair out since he no longer needed to worry about when his next shower would be, and had adapted to life in a house pretty well.

Shibachu finished getting ready, and came down the stairs with his hair still slightly wet.

'I like it better this way anyway.' He thought. 'And it's about time I got out of this city! I still can't believe it!'

"Hey old man! I'm going now, ok?" The old man nodded and smiled kindly, his mustache blowing slightly in the wind that came through the newly opened door.

"I'm going to miss having you around, Shibachu."

"I'm gonna miss being around, old man." The old man smiled wider, if possible.

"Before you go, Shibachu-kun, would you like to take one last order? There's a customer waiting in the front." Shibachu pondered, and decided to go through with it.

"Sure thing, old man. After this guy I'm leaving though." He and the old man mutually nodded, and he went through the doorway to the dining area. A short, small, blonde headache was waiting for him on the other side.

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"Welcome to Tsumaran. What would you like to eat?" Naruto was asked by a young boy with long black hair. He looked over the menu that he had been handed, and realized that he was having trouble. The restaurant had multiple kinds of ramen, and he couldn't decide which kind he wanted the most. He was preferential to miso, but he was willing to try other flavors.

"Uh, I don't know yet." He said bluntly. The other kid frowned. After a few seconds of waiting, he spoke.

"Hurry up and pick something." The waiter dropped his polite attitude.

"Hey, can't I take my time?" Naruto asked indignantly.

"No! Choose something already!" The boy basically shouted.

"No! I don't know what I want yet!"

"There isn't much of a choice! Udon, ramen, somen, soba... Choose one!"

"What kind of place is this?" Naruto angrily asked.

"This is a very classy establishment! Now pick a dish!"

"They shouldn't let pushy people like you work here then!"

"I'm not pushy! And if we don't let a type of person in, it should be indecisive brats like you!"

"Hey! Wait, what does inde... indecisive mean?"

The boy sweat-dropped. "It means you can't make up your mind."

"Oh. Thanks." Naruto nodded, storing the word in his head. "And don't call me a brat! I'm probably older than you!"

"Eight."

"Shimatta..." Naruto muttered under his breath. "Whatever! I'll have a bowl of every kind of ramen you have, ugly!" Naruto declared, slamming his menu onto the table.

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"Wait, you're not serious, are you?" Shibachu asked with wide eyes.

"I totally am!" The blond haired boy said defiantly.

"Whatever then!" Shibachu snatched the boy's menu away and stomped into the back room to give the order to the old man, who would cook the food.

"Wow, and this guy is going to eat all of this?" The old man asked as he looked at the large order.

"He's just a kid. He probably won't finish one bowl." Shibachu said. "Little brat is gonna waste nine bowls of ramen..." He muttered.

"Well, Shibachu-kun, I figure you're going to be leaving now?"

Shibachu gave the old man a smile. "Yeah, I don't want to have to deal with that brat anymore."

"I brought your pack down. It's next to the back door." The old man had his back turned, already cooking the ramen.

"Thanks, old man. For everything, I mean." Shibachu smiled softly, shouldered his pack, and left out the back door.

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Naruto finished eating his ramen, paid the substantial (even after the old man gave him half off just for eating all the food he ordered) bill, and left the restaurant. He figured that he should be getting out of Tentekomai pretty soon. His birthday was coming up, and he was wondering where he should go next. So he pulled out his trusty map. Naruto moved his finger around, reading the names it passed by. Eventually one caught his attention.

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**Look at this A/N please! You can change the (Seiryoku no Naruto) world!**

**Whoopsie! Chapter Kawarimi no Jutsu!**

And... that's all. Yes, I know, lame update. Lots of filler-type stuff, new characters introduced, lots of semi-teary goodbyes. But I got it out pretty fast (for me, at least). It's only been like three or four days. You wanna hear a weird word? Rheumy. I think Frank Herbert made it up (In his book Dune, he describes Thufir Hawat's eyes as rheumy, I think). So, yeah. **Important Information/Poll/Thing!!** Sorry about that. Just wanted to make sure I have people's attention. **Do I?** Good (I feel like I'm talking on a megaphone when I do **this**). I'm putting a couple of polls up on my profile-place thing. I'll work out how to make them (sorry about any mistakes I might make) and I'm gonna get started on them right after I post this. **First Poll**: Who should Naruto's fourth teammate be? - This isn't really a 'Who?' question, but more like a 'What type of person?' question. He will be working with canon characters, but his five-man team will be mostly OCs. Hint, hint. You might have read about one of them sometime today. Make a wild guess. **Second Poll**: What about Konoha? - Should I make Naruto go back to Konoha? Maybe another village? Maybe you want Konoha to be destroyed? Just don't want him to go back? Please poll on it at my profile. **Third Poll**: Do you prefer longer chapters? - This one doesn't have much to do with the story. I feel like I can go strong with this story, but I want to know your opinion. Would you rather have shorter chapters that might come a little faster, or longer chapters that might take a little bit longer? Your choice. You can vote for the first poll in my profile... I just realized you can only have one poll on your profile at a time. For the other ones, I'll make a forum topic someplace, and embed them there. You ought to be able to search for Seiryoku no Naruto or something to find it. Really sorry! Thanks for reading my story, and I would really enjoy a review from you! Yes, you.


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